Nicaragua

Overview

The Summer Institute in Nicaragua trains and places up to 25 program participants to assist 12 hospitals with critical medical device repairs and other services. Participants begin with a month in Granada taking tailored courses in both Spanish and biomedical equipment. Our partner, the Nicaragua Spanish Language School, arranges homestays and provides Spanish courses. Our partners at the Duke University Developing Health Care Technology Lab provide instruction on common medical devices and methods for making repairs in Nicaragua. After the first month of training, students begin work with an EWH partner hospital in groups of two or three. Participants are typically housed in a homestay during the second month to continue building Spanish and local/cultural knowledge.

The Nicaragua program offers participants an immersive Spanish, cultural and clinical experience. Many of the EWH partner hospitals in Nicaragua have some form of technical assistance; however, gaps in training and language barriers often prevent effective equipment repair. Participants work closely with Nicaraguan technicians and medical staff in overcoming these hurdles to make equipment repairs, execute trainings, install equipment, or perform other engineering duties for the hospitals.